NZIPP PRO Report May 2015

MEMBER MAGAZINE MAY 2015 / V.54

BE INSPIRED, BE SUCCESSFUL, BELONG

Contents

MAY 2015

Executive Updates 05

Presidents Report

06

Wedding Directors Report

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Honours Council Report

Infocus 2015 10

Infocus 2015 Information

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Robert Piccoli

NZIPP News Cover Image: © Robert Piccoli Invited Speaker - Infocus 2015

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NZIPP on Facebook

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New Members

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Q Dates for 2015

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Iris Award Books

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llford Diary

Regional Updates MISSION STATEMENT To champion, embrace and communicate excellence and professionalism in photography.

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Wellington Region

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Canterbury/Westland Region

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Otago/Southland Region

Member Profile CONTACT NZ Institute of Professional Photography (NZIPP) PO Box 76176 Christchurch 8548 New Zealand W: www.nzipp.org.nz E: info@nzipp.org.nz M: +64 27 522 5570 We welcome your feedback and thoughts. If you have something to say, send it through to: marketing@nzipp.org.nz

PRO REPORT is a publication of the NZIPP © NZIPP 2015. All rights reserved.

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Clinton Lloyd

Contents

MAY 2015

Contents What’s In My Bag...?

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Nicola Inglis

Photo Competitions 32

International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2015

Corporate Members 33

Thanks to our Corporate Members

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Executive Updates

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PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

MAY 2015

Executive Updates

MAY 2015

Presidents Report

It’s incredible the speed of change happening in the imaging world. Virtually every new innovation challenges then usurps its predecessor. Even the beloved camera is under threat at the compact level from ever able mobile devices. Everyone has one so everyone is now an image capturer. This is a different playing field than years gone by. Yours are now not the only images they might have as was often the case. An integral inherent leverage has passed.

No more so than now, must our skills be evident in all our work. No matter the technology our relevance has always been based on how we see and how we deliver that. There are amongst us many different levels of belief and commitment to achieving that goal. My dear fellow members, we are all lucky and smart enough to belong to an organisation that fosters each of us being great. The highest quality information and practitioners are sought for your benefit and advancement. The advantage of belonging is learning how to have a point of difference, stay current and prosper. The cream on the cake is the literal celebration of photography we undertake. Creativity and expression is encouraged, admired and rewarded.

The Iris awards are the jewel in the crown. A world standard system and event, run by smart committed photographers. It should be a magnet for us all each year. Learn as you produce the best images that you can and submit them to the judgement of others. It’s an exciting thing to do and even the most experienced photographers still feel the buzz of creative effort recognised and rewarded.

To live happily off your skills and service is the achievable dream. It takes knowledge and dedication though and we are here to empower you with that. So to enjoy both celebrating photography and learning to be better join us at your own Infocus national convention. Really a small price to pay for priceless information and don’t forget the fun.

Russell Hamlet NZIPP President

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Executive Updates

Wedding Directors Report

MAY 2015

Just before you get any further, I want to make sure that you cast your eyes over Katherine’s director report in the April issue .... A magic reminder that we have always fought the same battle, it’s the nature of the industry ..... thank you Katherine for that slap in the face, timing was perfect!

So it’s May? ..... Already?

For those of you who shoot weddings this might mean you get to sleep in on a Saturday or say yes to that dinner invitation, clean the house ( might just apply to me? ) It’s a time to pull yourself back into 2nd gear, refuel and recharge before the next round begins. We talk about the wedding season like it’s a hunt which has always made me chuckle. Armed with the latest and greatest, locked and card loaded ready to stalk the next perfect signature shot, ( even though most times they materialise in front of you on a silver platter with angels singing ) But like any sport our bodies and minds tire.

So how do you recharge? To be completely honest I would put my camera down for a month and not shoot a thing. I know this goes against the grain, but it felt like a holiday without going anywhere and I could enjoy moments without thinking, “must record that, should shoot that.” I also enjoy not talking, ( those that know me well would think it’s a strange statement) but instead listening to others, be it peers / speakers / seminars / podcasts etc and not just photographers but a mix of creative people, people with vision, people with stories. All you need is a spark to ignite a fire ………..

Over the past 9 months the Board and Members have worked hard to bring together a diverse line up of speakers together for what will be Infocus 2015 in Queenstown. A Jam packed few days guaranteed to leave you refueled!

Check out the fabulous stand alone site that our member Claire Birks built http://infocus.org.nz - this is where you will find your first spark!

Remember …..Infocus is not just for our members … it’s for all photographers, spread the word ……. See you in Queenstown!

Tracey Stamatakos Wedding Director

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Executive Updates

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Honours Council Report

Tips For Success In The Iris Photography Awards I recently came across a blog by award-winning Australian photographer Matt Palmer, recently named AIPP Queensland Documentary Photographer of the Year. His words on entering photography awards resonated so much that I asked Matt if I could incorporate them into this month’s ProReport article.

So, here are Matt’s words and tips, with a few modifications, for those entering this year’s Iris Awards: 1. Get ego hurt at the print critique (mock judging) nights, not on the competition weekend Putting your images out in front of some of the best photographic judges can be tough. You’ll learn what you’ve overlooked, and the first time you enter might feel like you’ve had your heart torn from your chest. That’s ok, now you’re really growing as a photographer.

We’ve all been there, we’ve all had our disappointing prints, and there are plenty of AIPP (and NZIPP) Grand Masters that have scored under 70 (not professional standard). For a new entrant the risk of this can be minimised by trialling your images in the regional critique nights, mock judging or even in the Iris Q&A Facebook Group first.

2. Wax on, wax off When you’re starting off talk to those with the experience and knowledge, and maybe find a person you might want to talk to regularly. When Matt started out he utilised the incredibly cultured photographic brains of Ian Poole and Darren Jew at Foto Frenzy. One thing to remember, while most are truly willing to help, showing gratitude for other’s time is a great trait, whether it be through appreciative words or a bottle of something. Another thing to remember is every person/judge offers a different viewpoint and opinion, and that’s the subjectiveness that is photography (and art). If you are unsure of an image, run it passed someone with specific questions, or put it into a print critique or mock judging, to see what the reaction to it is.

3. Understand the presentation tastes of a competition Every competition has rules in how things should be presented. They are all listed in black and white for all to see (refer to the Iris Call for Entries document - http://infocus.org.nz/epsonnzipp-iris-awards/). What isn’t written is the taste of a competition. A black matte might work well in camera clubs, whereas a white (or off-white) matte might work better at NZIPP. When mounting the work, landscape-oriented images are often placed on a portrait-oriented matte as well.

You can do whatever you like within the rules, but unless you have a compelling reason to do something unusual that compliments the photograph you are showing, simple and in-line with competition expectations is generally the best. You want all the attention to be on your photograph.

4. Flip it upside down One of the easiest things to help improve your work technically is to turn the

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Executive Updates

MAY 2015

print upside down. In graphic design we talk about visual hierarchy, the order in which the eye will travel around a design and acknowledge elements and text. The same is true in photography. To conquer a photograph we must dictate where people should look within the image and potentially in what order. This can be influenced by prominence, contrast, colour and exposure.

However, a lot of the time we are too close to the subject matter in our images to really look at the things in the way a stranger to the work would. So to break your connection to the subject, and truly analyse where people will look, turn your image upside down. Before you know it you’ll be wondering why on earth your portrait subject’s elbow was the brightest thing on the print.

5. Printing is paramount It may be best to leave the printing to the experts and learn from them through that process. Develop an ongoing relationship with a printer, discuss your prints and photographs with them, and seek advice on potential paper choices and approaches to the print. This is not to say disregard your own opinion, as you are the artist and ultimately need to make the final decision.

6. Show the judges something new If you are showing the judges something they’ve seen before, think about it, it’s going to have to be one of the best examples of that image they’ve ever seen to get across the award line, right? In comparison, if you bring them something different, whether it’s the subject matter, compositional, a different approach using different equipment, just something that makes them stop for a second, your score will likely go up. Some of the best photographers I know are the ones that take subjects we see every day and show them to us in a completely new way.

7. The key to your award-winning photograph A top Australian judge very familiar to our Iris forum, Ian Poole, gave Matt some insightful advice once, after scoring a 73 on a print that he loved. That an award winning photograph will often need a key to unlock it. What this key is, well that is the mystery. It could be a little bent post in a beautiful landscape composition. It could be a mop and bucket to elaborate on the story of a humble pianist (as in Adam Hourigan’s top scoring print). It could be a tiny vehicle in a giant landscape photographed from above. There are so many things this key could be, and it’s probably one of the hardest things to plan for or identify. But, you’ll know it when you see an amazing image and think to yourself – it wouldn’t be nearly as amazing without that tiny detail. And then you bow to the photographer.

It’s just as critical that you don’t smack people in the face with this key, or it might come off as too contrived.

8. The photographer must bring something to the image It’s not enough to find an amazing viewpoint, natural wonder, or person, and take a photo that documents it. You have to bring some control to that image as a photographer, by utilising deliberate composition and lighting.

Most photographers are capable of taking a beautiful photograph of a scene but bringing their own interpretation and control to it will take the image to the next level.

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9. No one cares if the photograph was hard to take If you hike up a figurative Mount Everest to take a photograph, and miss the mark, it’s a missed opportunity, not an award print! No one cares how hard it was to take (create) the photograph. It’s the print that is judged, not the process of taking it. Sometimes a judge will recognise your effort and that is a wonderful thing. The reality is most top award prints took a lot of effort to create, or photographers have worked their butt off to be in a position to make something look effortless.

10. Don’t give judges anything to pick on Clean up those little technical details. Look for detail in shadows, don’t blow out your highlights unless you have reason for it. If something doesn’t seem right the judges will pick on it, even if that’s how the scene really was. Don’t give them anything to pick on. Give them something immaculate. If your photograph is good enough to win an award don’t let them take it off you over anything silly and avoidable.

11. When it’s time to talk categories Considering what category to put your work in can be a dilemma. One of Australia’s best young judges, Adam Finch (and we’re hoping he’ll make his NZ judging debut this year), advises to always go for a category. It doesn’t matter whether you don’t think you can win. Why, you ask? Over the years there have been many photographers, with amazing portfolios, who have missed out on being a finalist and potentially winner of a category because they didn’t go for it in the one category.

12. Be brave The more you put yourself out there, the better you’ll get. And sometimes you have to make the call to go with your gut feeling on something, even if someone is telling you the image won’t do well. Every so often you might just prove people wrong. And be warned, the first time you hear someone like Mike Langford passionately argue on behalf of your print, you’ll be hooked.

So, get working on your Iris entries – plan, photograph, critique, print, and of most importance be prepared to learn from it all.

As a reminder, the Iris Q & A Facebook Page is a great forum to get support, feedback and ask questions about anything Iris: https://www.facebook. com/groups/423536687669881/ Click here to read Matt’s unedited blog.

Click here to view Adam Hourigan’s award-winning mage.

Adam Finch: http://www.adamfinch.com.au

Kaye Davis - GMNZIPP, MAIPP II, MCGD Chair of the NZIPP Honours Council) On behalf of the Honours Council, including: Ollie Dale, Blair Quax, Tony Stewart & Esther Bunning.

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09–10 august 2015

Rydges LakeLand ResoRt

www.nZIPP.oRg.nZ

INFOCUS MAY2015 2015

Infocus conference 2015 INFOCUS CONFERENCE 2015

Image © Robert Piccoli

Infocus Registration Brochure Book out the ..........

Infocus Conference Registrations your diary now

space in .......... for Infocus 2015…

we have an amazing and inspirational REGISTER NOW CLICK TO VIEWline up of educational speakers to get your head and heart racing.

More speakers to be released in the coming weeks.

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Infocus 2015 Website ..........

Infocus conference CLICK TO VIEW registrations oPen Late MaRch

MAY 2015

thank you to ouR

Sponsors new Zealand Institute of Professional Photography would like to extend their gratitude to the following organisations for their generous contributions to Infocus 2015: Principal sponsor

gold sponsors

silver sponsors

Media Partners

industry exhibition we simply can’t do it without brilliant sponsors and exhibitors. take the time to get to know them better, place a face to the name at the end of the phone or email. Learn more what’s happening in the industry, have a coffee with them, see the latest products and more.

registration Brochure

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infocus queenstown 2015

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inteRnational sPeakeR

Robert Piccoli Virtuoso and Master Photographer Robert Piccoli is the creative force behind PIccoLI PoRtRaIt PHotogRaPHy with over 3 decades of acclaimed work, he is

elements of posing

renowned for his sleek, sophisticated style, immaculate

Monday 10 august, 1.30PM

finish and creative excellence.

Photographing women: Hand placement, Rule of thirds,

His expertise has garnered him prestigious awards,

tips for longer legs, full length, s shape, chin forward,

grants and honours. considered somewhat of an

foreshortened arms

icon in australian portrait photography, he carries the

Photographing men: Masculine head tilt, feminine head

distinction of Master of Photography, aIPP; nZIPP and

tilt, where to place hands, full length, In a chair, formal,

fellow aIPP, nZIPP, bIPP.

Informal, On the floor

However, it’s the personal satisfaction he experiences

Photographing groups: sitting, standing, w formation,

from the response to his extensive body of work that

Pyramid formation, u formation, creating different

pleases him the most.

levels, Heads together, Creating flow

as a talented graphic artist and designer, Robert Piccoli

the psychology of offering products as a professional photographer

gravitated to photography as a means of expressing his love of the visual. His dedication to quality and the

Monday 10 august, 3.45PM

finer points of the photograph is apparent in the subtle yet exquisite detail that sets his images apart as stylish,

• creative photography skills

timeless and elegant.

• why sales is not a bad word

Robert’s extensive worldwide travels generate stimulus

• Digital files vs. physical products

allowing him the opportunity to interpret the latest

• Presenting options to our clients

international trends and to inspire his clients with

• Products differentiate professional photographers

most exciting visual options. He is always seeking to

• Increase perceived value with products

challenge traditional boundaries in professional portrait photography, making him one of australia’s most

• Justify higher fees with products

innovative and leading portrait photographers.

• Products allow us to deliver a better customer experience • Products create greater revenue • Products allow your images to become art pieces • Products support our industry • dispelling the myths - no time, lack of knowledge

registration Brochure

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infocus queenstown 2015

registration Brochure

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infocus queenstown 2015

Images Š Robert Piccoli

PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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NZIPP News

MAY 2015

NZIPP News New Members

ing member.....

Welcome to our return d d - Auckland/Northlan Bharat Paima - Retire

Find NZIPP on Facebook - check out the links below....

NZIPP - National • NZIPP - Auckland/Northland Region • NZIPP - Waikato/BOP Region

Epson/NZIPP Iris Professional Photography Awards 2012

• NZIPP - Central Districts • NZIPP - Wellington Region • NZIPP - Nelson/Marlborough Region • NZIPP - Canterbury/Westland Region • NZIPP - Otago/Southland Region

Q Submission Dates 2015 For those who aren’t qualified yet it’s time to start planning for your Q submissions. Once successful your member profile will appear in the Find a Photographer function on the NZIPP website, and you’ll be able to work towards NZIPP Accreditation.

Jackie Ranken - NZ Photographer of the Year 2012

Principal Sponsor

IRIS PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY AWARDS 2009 - 2013 BOOKS Iris Award books are produced annually by the NZIPP from the award winning entries, showcasing all the major award winners, as well as all the Gold, Silver, and Bronze winning images from each year. The books have been published in conjunction with BLURB and ISSUU and are available in three different formats: •

hardcopy/print - available via Blurb’s print on demand service. The book is a 20 X 25cm landscape format, with a hardcover & dust jacket, printed on Premium Lustre finish paper. Each book can be purchased via Blurb’s print on demand service. Prices vary depending on the book size.

•

eBook on iPad - available via Blurb’s ebook service for downloading to an iPad. eBook’s can be purchased for $24.99 USD via Blurb’s eBook download service.

•

online book/magazine - a low resolution version is available to view online for free via Issuu’s digital publishing platform .

Q submission dates for 2015 are...

•

June 2nd, 2015

•

October 6th, 2015

For more info see the Q Programme under Quick Links on the NZIPP website.

Go to the NZIPP website (www.nzipp.org.nz, and click on the Iris Awards tab followed by Iris Awards Books) for more information and download links for

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NZIPP News

MAY 2015

Ilford Diary

Kindly sponsored by

May 2015

12th Waikato/BOP Regional Meeting

June 2015

1st Iris Awards 2015 - Earlybird Online Entry Registration opens

22-24 Canterbury/Westland Regional Photo Retreat

2nd Q Submission - Closing Date 8th NZIPP AGM 2015 - Notice of Meeting 29th NZIPP AGM 2015 - Close off for Board Nominations, Remits, Notice of Motions

July 2015

8th NZIPP AGM 2015 - Circulate Board Nominations, Remits, Notice of Motions 22nd Iris Awards 2015 - Earlybird Online Entry Registration ends 29th Iris Awards 2015 - Online Entry Registration closes 31st NZIPP AGM 2015 - Regional Delegates Confirmed. Submission of Agenda Items,

Board & Regional Reports

August 2015

3rd Iris Awards 2015 - Print Delivery Deadline 6-8th Iris Awards 2015 - Print Judging - Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown 7th NZIPP AGM 2015 - Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown 9-10th Infocus 2015 - Conference - Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown 10th Iris Awards 2015 - Gala Dinner - Rydges Lakeland Resort Queenstown

Don’t forget, if you are travelling around New Zealand, as an NZIPP member you can go to any NZIPP Regional Meeting. If you are in the area, take the opportunity to participate in a regional meeting outside your own region.

CONTACT YOUR REGIONAL CHAIR FOR MORE INFORMATION.

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Regional Updates

MAY 2015

Regional Updates Wellington Region - Australia’s David Oliver hits town, leaves locals fired up It was such a pleasure getting to hang out with this lovely man for three days.

Australia’s David Oliver toured New Zealand in late April giving photographic workshops, and I was lucky enough to host him for the Wellington leg of the tour.

It’s not every week you have a captive Grand Master of Photography in the house to ask all sorts of questions of! We had so many great discussions, and he also let me play with all his gear, which was dangerous: my ever-growing wishlist has just expanded further, sigh.

Here’s David in action at the Wellington workshop. For the practical part of the workshop he began by shooting outside against a plain wall, using a Profoto light that allows shutter speeds of up to 1/8000th of a second (so you can shoot wide open). Then we moved to the park across the road, where David showed us how to find the best light and make use of natural reflectors such as sunlit buildings.

Images © Catherine Cattanach

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Regional Updates

MAY 2015

A recurring theme throughout the day was the importance of communicating with your subjects to elicit genuine expressions, and it was great to see for ourselves how he does it. That was yet another advantage of hosting him actually: he worked his magic on my kids and gave me this gorgeous photo of my daughter Eva! Thank you David, for your all your generosity - I’m sure I’m not the only person feeling incredibly inspired after your visit!

Images © David Oliver Catherine Cattanach Wellington - Treasurer

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Regional Updates

MAY 2015

Regional Updates UPCOMING MEETINGS…

Canterbury/Westland Regional Photo Retreat Venue: Castle Hill Date: May 22nd - 24th 2015 To Register: email clinton@lovelight. co.nz

Canterbury/Westland Region - Happenings I am pretty sure that this year’s Canterbury-Westland AGM set a record. All official business was over and dealt with in six minutes and 31 seconds. And who says AGM’s are boring and take too long?! That meant that we were able to move straight on to the good stuff. The main reason that we are able to provide our members with such good content is because we are lucky enough to have an AWESOME leader. Now, Kate Christie is kind of known for finding out about surprises before the surprise actually happens. But this month we were able to keep a doozy from her. To thank Kate for all the hard work, time and effort she is putting in to making our region awesome, she received the well earned gift of a coffee machine. The smell in Kate’s studio is now quite intoxicating for the caffeine inclined. With Kate’s great leadership, the committee were able to announce to our members some great events that we have coming up including hosting the touring print exhibition and a fantastic retreat weekend at the superb Castle Hill. This looks to be a fantastic warm up in preparation for this year’s absolutely epic Infocus conference.

Kathrine had us sold after elaborating on all of the speakers and features of this year’s conference. It really does sound like the NZIPP leadership and our faithful Infocus sponsors have stepped up again, and this year have hit it out of the park!

The theme for our post AGM meeting this month was Getting out of the Rat Race that is Business!

This included a panel discussion with Richard Linton of Linton Photography, Anthony Turnham of Snap Photography and Olivia Spencer-Bower of De Nada Creative. It was a great discussion covering everything from taking time out to recharge your batteries, shooting for fun whether it is family or personal projects or just getting away and taking some time for yourself.

We covered things like what gear to take on a trip abroad, the amazing capabilities of editing on a mobile device these days and photographing family and personal projects to practice our photography and try new ideas.

That way when it comes to swapping photography for money we know have creative ideas up our sleeves, we know our craft and our gears limits.

As well as hearing from the panel we heard from others who shared what downtime activities they are currently taking part in and what they do to keep energized and firing at 110%.

The evening’s standout speaker was Anthony.

Anthony’s passion for photography is evident not only in his stunning professional photography work but also in the beautiful candid documentation of his family and everyday life with his children. Anthony has a DSLR with him the majority of the time. That is a kind of dedication that is impressive. Not enough photographers actually carry their camera (a real camera, not a cell phone) around with them all the time. Anthony was a tad nervous about speaking in front of a room full of photographers but I tell

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MAY 2015

you what, whatever the bribe would cost you to be able to sit and listen to Anthony speak, it would be worth it. I was so engrossed by what Anthony was saying that I actually forgot to take notes for the PROReport. Whoops!

To condense what I got from listening to Anthony, was that we should not underestimate how much we can use our personal photography to help us improve our visual literacy and over all our professional photography. By photographing our families and friends we can practice our client interaction skills and learn how to anticipate the actions of our subjects. We can also work out our own process of pre visualising our images and we can grow our imaginations. Anthony was inspiring.

Rebecca Watson Canterbury/Westland - Secretary

Images Š Rebecca Watson PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Regional Updates

MAY 2015

Where:

At the St Andrews Outdoor Centre in Castle Hill Village (80min drive from Chch)

When :

Late arvo on Friday the 22nd of May through to Sunday arvo the 24th of May

Cost :

For NZIPP members the cost is $160 including accommodation and food. Spouse/partner or family are $100pp.

About :

Get out of the city, Breathe.

Explore rugged landscapes, Create.

Learn, and share with others.

This isn’t going to be structured like a conference but intentionally using time to share some tips/ tricks with each other and try some new things... and socializing of course! We envision people that come could have a bit of an idea of something they could share and try together whether that is light painting, creating time-lapse, astrophotography, on location portrait/catalogue‌. So many options so it depends on which of you awesome people decide to come!

To Register:

Email Clinton <clinton@lovelight.co.nz> confirming you are coming and then pay your registration fee direct into the NZIPP Canterbury/ Westland Account - ANZ - 06 0801 0016408 00.

Once these have been received you will get a confirmation email with details about what to bring and gather your ideas about what you could add to the weekend.

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This weekend is a perfect chance to catch up with others from around the region, enjoy good food, be a bit adventurous, try some new things and get to know more of the awesome people that are in this photography boat alongside you.

Regional Updates

MAY 2015

Regional Updates UPCOMING MEETINGS…

Otago/Southland Region - Queenstown

Otago/Southland Fortnightly Coffee Catchup in Dunedin Venue: Vogel St Kitchen, 76 Vogel St, Dunedin Day/Time: Wednesday 2:30pm Contact: nicola@kelkphoto.co.nz

David Oliver Workshop

Otago/Southland Fortnightly Coffee Catchup in Queenstown Venue: Grazenz, 1 Onslow Rd, Lake Hayes Estate Day/Time: 3rd Thursday of each month at 10am Contact: justlovephotography@ gmail.com

It was so great to see him in action as we got to take part in a live shoot with a couple of locals as models. It was amazing to see the stunning portraits David could create from window light, artificial outdoor lighting and the “back of a hotel, staff car park”. All attendee’s left with a better understanding of how to create better portraits with both natural and artificial lighting.

This month we had AIPP Grand Master David Oliver visit Queenstown to share some of his Portrait secrets. There was a great turnout of NZIPP members and non-members too.

With a career of 30 years in business David is full of fantastic knowledge and experience that all attendees were keen to hear about.

Dan Childs Otago/Southland - Treasurer

Images © Dan Childs PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Regional Updates

MAY 2015

Regional Updates Otago/Southland Region - Dunedin Ok, so we have had a bit of a shuffle around lately in our region, with a new chairperson (Me! Nicola Wilhelmsen), new secretary: Kimberley Cheyne and new treasurer: Dan Childs.

We are all just settling into our new roles so have some patience with us while we have this change around.

First a bit of an admission from me, I’m not the world’s greatest writer or public speaker so you will have to bear with me as I try to gain some confidence in this area. I guess my pro reports are going to become more like diary entries rather than a piece of creative writing and I’ll probably try to get out of every bit of public speaking that I can! (Thanks for saving me this time round Alan Dove!)

Any way’s on with the more interesting stuff.......

We had the pleasure of hosting Mike Langford for a presentation at our last meeting in Dunedin.

Image © Nicola Wilhelmsen

Mike is a very valued member of our region and we had a great turn out for his talk, as I knew we would. We have wanted Mike as a speaker in our region for a while so it was really nice for that to happen this month.

Mike’s talk was titled ‘Visual Communication’ and the ‘Realities of Commercial Photography’.

I had personally not seen much of Mike’s commercial work, if any, so I was really looking forward to his presentation.

Mike would show us a ‘before image’ of the office or workshop he was commissioned to photograph, then show us the ‘after image’ once he had applied the best angle and sometimes various lighting techniques. It was amazing what he could come up with! I mean these were not the most desirable conditions to work with but what he could ‘see’ and create was amazing. Mike stated “You have to create the image, not take an image” and “Don’t just bring a camera, bring ideas”.

Mike loves his job and you can see it in his amazing work! He’s so passionate about it! Photography is such a huge part of his life! (Sorry for all the exclamation marks! I’m writing this while it’s still fresh and I’m still fired up from Mikes talk.)

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Knowledge is something Mike is very generous with, he believes that we should all share our knowledge and it’s not something that should just be owned only by ourselves. I think that’s where the NZIPP is so great, we all share our knowledge with each other and we all grow because of it.

It was such a great talk! Thank you so much Mike for sharing your knowledge and passion with us!

Nicola Wilhelmsen Otago/Southland - Regional Chairperson

Images © Alan Dove PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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Member Profile

MAY 2015

Member Profile Clinton Lloyd ANZIPP Tell us a little bit about your journey so far.

Well, that could have me talking for far too long. I’m 31, went to university wanting to teach but have ended up working in a photo shop, as a youth pastor, in a call centre, in a technical insurance claims department and now as a photographer. Along the way I have found an amazing woman, Anna, tricked her into marrying me (hehe) and now have two cool kids, Juliet and Josiah that keep me very grounded (generally grounded in nappies or Frozen merchandise).

What first got you into photography?

“Warmth, joy, love….

Any of these sort of things are what I’m trying to capture and I love images that have layers to them.”

I’ve loved taking photos going back into my childhood where my (generous and long suffering) parents would pay for my films to be developed. I took Photography in 6th and 7th form and loved learning the history, the darkroom process and that cemented my love for photography as art. I had always loved Visual Arts but not being a good drawer didn’t really have a medium of expression for this, so photography opened that door. During University and two un-photography related degrees I worked part time at Photo and Video which along with providing me with too many opportunities to spend more money than I was paid (great strategy by Greg) also gave me the opportunity to see more into the professional side of photography through interaction with pro customers and equipment. From there it’s been the journey of building up a part time business alongside an office job to a full time business as of 2013.

Tell us about the very first wedding you shot.

Ahahaha… bows his head in shame. My first wedding was in 2006 and was for a cousin. I shot it on my Canon 20D and had my EOS 33 loaded with slide film to cross process (eek). Not knowing better I shot on JPEG and edited them with plenty of heavy vignettes and selective colour to boot. The client was stoked with them but I struggle looking at them now, noticing how dated the edit was, how soft my kit lenses were and the amateur approach I took to posing. Even weddings from five years ago make me cringe sometimes as I feel like then I was more following trends that will date whereas now I am more comfortably exploring my style and sticking with images because I love them not because of a wedding trend.

What kind of feelings do you enjoy creating through your images?

Warmth, joy, love…. Any of these sort of things are what I’m trying to capture and I love images that have layers to them. When I can, I love adding levels of depth to photos through meaning beyond just what the pixels are displaying. That could be the location’s significance for the couple, the story behind the lens or an element within the photo that you can ponder on a bit. I love visual allusions and am influenced a lot by artist models and try to incorporate aspects of them into my work even if just for my own satisfaction.

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Member Profile

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m a massive fan of your gold scoring photograph from the Wedding Classic category from 2014, tell us a little about the thought process surrounding creating that image.

I visited the brides family farm months before the wedding and saw two old painted portraits mounted either side of a door and knew then I was going to shoot there. I love ornate old frames, and with the door framing her I knew I had an image that you could think about and read into further than just a nice portrait of the bride. My thought process was about framing the old and new, dark for the old and light for the new so with one curtain pulled and a hallway door opened I had my light balance perfect. Hearing it judged online it looked like it was going to sit as a silver until one judge seemed to read my mind and spoke about the traditional/old/dark vs modern/new/ light portrait and I was very lucky he swayed the other judges to let it live as a Gold.

You have formed a collaborative business with two videographers, tell us a little about this.

Yep, two friends I met through church were doing video work in the wedding and commercial industry and we were working with each other regularly and with the advent of the 5Dmk2 we were sharing more and more gear.

We talked a lot about the potential benefits and pitfalls of combining our businesses and eventually decided that what we could achieve together was going to be more that what we could achieve on our own. We operate two brands for our different clients, Lovelight for our wedding work and M3creative for our commercial/rental work. It has been a great journey, not without difficulties as we learn to manage each others personalities and developing others strengths but we have definitely been able to pull off large projects that we couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have done solo.

Images Š Clinton Lloyd

Gold - Iris Awards 2014 PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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MAY 2015

Images Š Clinton Lloyd PRO REPORT Member Magazine of the NZIPP

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MAY 2015

Has this insight into the creation of moving imagery influenced your capture of stills?

Yes I think it has put even more focus on the story telling aspect of what I do as our wedding films are shot to create unique stories of our couples. It has also given me more appreciation for the 16x9 ratio that’s for sure and I often shoot images for this ratio in my stills work now. It’s been great to combine the two worlds as well, whether it’s been the opportunity to direct or DOP film projects we are doing or lately I’ve graded my first wedding film start to finish… in Lightroom! (Frame by frame, just because I didn’t want to learn another piece of software haha… check out the link here : http://www. lovelight.co.nz/chris-beks-wedding-film/) As part of your collaborative ventures you also hire gear, how did this come about?

It really came about because we had so much gear that often was sitting un-used. So in order to justify to ourselves buying more gear we came up with the ruse that we would hire stuff out. Most of the time I think we were just tricking ourselves as we haven’t pushed or promoted it as a business but it’s growing naturally which is cool. Of course it has it’s risks and probably takes more time to manage it than it’s worth but it’s also put us in contact with a number of very sweet professional and amateur photographers around the place.

What is your creative space like?

We share space with an advertising agency adjacent to the Tannery. It’s a nice clean space that houses my overly messy desk. It was a nice change to get out of the home office environment and separate work from home a bit more although I am continually frustrated at the traffic driving home.

What’s in your kit on a typical shoot….

Lots of gear! I have a love-hate relationship with gear in that I love the improvements and different opportunities a new lens or light gives me but I hate that I spend so much money on gear! (And I hate the sore body from carting it everywhere!) I’ve been a Canon shooter from the start and shoot a couple of 5Dmk3s with 6D’s as backup. I love primes so carry as much as I am game to carry in particular I’m normally permanently attached to the Canon 135L f2 and the Sigma 35 1.4 ART, with some off camera flash and a few smoke and mirror tricks thrown in the bag too.

What 2 pieces of equipment could you not live without?

Eeek other than the lenses already mentioned I would say probably the oversized ladder I drag out for most wedding shoots (just to give me a different vantage point) and my phone as it organizes most of my life, tells me where the sun is going to be, captures family moments and survives my three year old playing with it.

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Member Profile

MAY 2015

Member Profile Continued You are dad to two… with your second a recent arrival to the world (right in the thick of wedding season), how do you feel having a family has influenced your photography?

“...as I shoot more in this uncontrolled environment I become a better photographer (and father, and husband). The reality is that most of my all time favourite photos that will never win any awards are photos of my family that capture something special for me.”

Since becoming a Dad three years ago I’ve definitely been more serious about my photography and wanting to do it professionally in a way that I don’t become a slave to the business (still figuring that bit out). Having Josiah in the middle of my busiest season to date was not the “best” timing but we are so stoked to have him here and Lovelight has worked thanks to my good business partners, understanding clients and my incredible wife supporting me even when she was at home for yet another Saturday without me.

Having kids has also changed what I want to shoot and the shots that have most meaning to me. When I was young in my career I was more after “hero” shots that would make people go “wow how cool” but often they would sit in isolation or they would be more about the concept/execution than the emotion. Now I want to shoot stuff that is more emotional, timeless (I don’t actually mean this as pretentious as it sounds) and sits well as a body of work from the same creator. Having kids has made me focus more on capturing the emotions and the little moments that pass so quickly yet are missed so dearly when kids have grown up or parents passed away etc. My wife would agree I’m not a super emotional guy but yet I often find myself tearing up at beautiful moments in weddings like father/daughter etc because I know one day all too soon it will be me with my daughter.

Personal photography projects…. Do you manage to fit them in and what themes interest you.

My largest personal project is the ongoing documentation of my family and kids. I often struggle just shooting the normal everyday things that happen as a family and then editing them to a standard I’m happy with but as I relax more, drop the pressure of “perfection” for everything I’m shooting/editing then I shoot more and as I shoot more in this uncontrolled environment I become a better photographer (and father, and husband). The reality is that most of my all time favourite photos that will never win any awards are photos of my family that capture something special for me.

What are the biggest lessons you have learnt through your journey?

Who you are and who you are around are far more important than where you are heading. Find great people to share life with and you will end up somewhere cool AND have had a whole stack load of fun getting there.

How do you define success?

Being surrounded by people you love and who love you and having the health and freedom to enjoy doing things that bring you life. Contributing to society and making a difference would be nice too!

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MAY 2015

What advice would you give to yourself if you were starting in the industry all over again?

I would tell the younger me to back myself and get in there sooner, trust the passion and find ways to develop that earlier… I would have thrived in a two or three year course like CPIT offer but for whatever reason that was never on my radar back then. I would tell myself to stick at building relationships with people doing the same thing as me, and people that have been doing that for a while even when they seem so “big” and inaccessible. And of course I would tell myself not to even think about doing that selective colour editing on that wedding bouquet! www.lovelight.co.nz

Images © Clinton Lloyd

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What’s In My Bag...?

MAY 2015

What’s In My Bag...?

Nicola Inglis - Waikato/BOP What’s in my kit?

A bunch of cameras and lenses that are probably exactly the same as yours (or slightly worse!) and either the same brand as yours or that other brand.

So I’m not going to tell you about that because it’s boring as bat poo. I’m going to tell you about shoes instead. And if you think that’s as boring as bat poo too you should look away now!

I have made it my mission in life to search for the perfect wedding shoes…I have terrible feet; big and flat and just generally the kind of feet that keep podiatrists in business. Consequently I have tried lots of shoes and talked to quite a few podiatrists (although obviously I am not one and you should see a real one if..blah blah disclaimer stuff). This is what I have found works for me: Not too flexible through the toe joint…this is where skechers, converse etc fail.

More movement through that joint gives you a place to get sore. If you’re prone to bunions you will feel the effects in this joint.

Well cushioned sole…if you’re standing on something super flat (like ballet flats or even some men’s dress shoes) you’re not giving your feet any help at all and they will get tired and sore sooner.

A ‘rocker’ shaped sole, rather than a shoe that sit’s flat on the ground…this will propel you forward without putting pressure on your toe joint.

Plenty of toe room…nothing worse than squishy toes. Not to mention that putting your toes at odd angles can create pressure spots elsewhere on the soles of your feet. And yes, your Grandma was right, pointy-toed shoes do contribute to bunions and hammertoes and other stuff you want to avoid.

Image © Alegria Shoe Shop

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What’s In My Bag...?

MAY 2015

So what is the perfect wedding shoe I can hear you asking? My current favourite is the Alegria Paloma Mary-Jane, it comes in loads of colours and patterns and is hands down (feet down?) the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn to shoot weddings in. Oh and they have a Velcro closure so you can take them on and off with one hand. And a breathable leather footbed (which can be replaced) so they don’t get too stinky in summer.

I buy them online from the US from www.alegriashoeshop.com (where they are seasonally opposite to us so the summer ones are on sale at just the right time!). They also make Men’s shoes (in case anyone was wondering) and the site has lots of customer reviews to help you choose. Apparently Dowsons Shoes in the South Island stock some Alegria styles but I don’t know of anywhere else you can buy local.

Happy shoe shopping! (is there any other kind?)

Websites: http://www.alegriashoeshop.com/ http://www.alegriashoes.com/ http://thehappyshoeshop.com.au/

http://www.nicolainglisphotography.co.nz/

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Photo Competitions

MAY 2015

Photo Competitions The 2nd International Landscape Photographer of the Year 2015 2014 saw the first year of the competition, and was a great success with 2233 images entered from around the world, culminating in a stunning first collection of the top 101 images. The competition is open to all photographers with the aim of again finding the best 101 landscape images from the past 12 months and publishing them in a beautiful coffee table book which will be available in a variety of formats, including a free e-book.

The judges will also be on a search for the International Landscape Photographer of the Year (based on a folio submission of at least 4 images) and the International Landscape Photograph of the Year. Each entry will be scored by all judges on the panel and receive a score out of 500. Prizes on offer include US$10,000 cash, trophies, limitededition copies of the awards book and large framed prints of winning images.

Entries Open: 16th Feb 2015

Entries Close: 15th May 2015

Click here for more information: www.internationallandscapephotographer.com

The New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Entries are now open for the annual New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year 2015 – the countries largest, most popular, and most prestigious photography competition. Entries close at midday Wednesday 15 July.

The competition invites New Zealand’s best photographers—amateurs and professionals alike—to celebrate the diversity of New Zealand by submitting photographs in any or all of this years five categories; Landscape, Wildlife, Society & Culture, PhotoStory and, for the first time, Timelapse.

Judging is based on the quality, creativity, and originality of the subject. This years awards include; Photographer of the Year, the Young Photographer award (entrants under the age of 21), People’s Choice award and Colour award.

Winners will be announced on October 29, 2015. Finalist images also earn a place in the free, public New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year exhibition touring to Christchurch and Auckland.

For competition entry and details, previous winning entries, and photographic tips, visit http://www.nzgeographic. co.nz/poty/photographer-of-the-year-entry

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Corporate Members

MAY 2015

Corporate Members A special thank you to our Corporate Members for their continuing support:

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NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY

www.nzipp.org.nz